Learning Spanish on the run....

It seems like I may be getting the swing of it. The other morning when I woke up I asked my husband, "Que hora es?" He looked at me like I'd just grown a second head. Oh!! I am starting to think in Spanish. Then the next day, I found a box from the post office with a college Spanish text book, workbook and flashcards from my daughter. She even sent her notes! With that and the books and flashcards I already have.... How can I miss learning? Now, all I have to do is slow down those fast-speaking Spaniards when I get to Spain!

In the past few days I have been a busy genealogist. I've written letters to the Spanish Consulates in San Francisco and Honolulu. I have documents from both offices and hope to find the same documents for the rest of our family. Again, I must learn Spanish and can only assume each consulate has translators. But of course, they must!

Then, I sent an email to my brother's friend, Ana, who now lives in Madrid. Her friend has a tour company. Both the venue and the occupation should be able to help me further. In the mix of working with what I can find, I have been trying to find out WHERE to go for the documents I can't find. I hope that will be a window of opportunity for my trip next summer.

And then to top it all, I received a Spanish document from another very generous shirt-tail cousin (I have decided we must be related vicariously through Felisa Silvan). This document was prepared by an attorney in January 1911 to prove her grandmother was a legitimate daughter of her parents along with all the legitimacy of their entire family --- in order to emigrate from Spain to Hawaii.... she will definitely be part of Manuela's Petals in the timeline, place and Hawaii.... It is dated 3 days after the same type of documents were prepared for my grandmother and her cousins in Fuentesauco.

Thrown into the mix, I have decided to continue working part time as Medicare Specialist for my employer for another year. By the time I REALLY retire, I will have worked for him 23 years. It will be hard to let go, but alas! i have a family to find.

Today, my niece gave birth to a little baby girl -- especially sweet since it is my son's 36th birthday! Oh, family! What on earth would we possibly do without that warmth and links? Which reminds me, I will be flying to Arkansas the end of the month and share special family time with a cousin I haven't seen since 1985.

It will be good to get away from all the weeds... two days of racing after them and ripping them to their death is enough for awhile. I yanked and tossed them aside until I couldn't move. So, I'll go pour a glass of wine and think good thoughts.